Curtain-carrying attachment for vehicles



4 Sheets-Sheet l Fil d May 19, 1919 J H BOGGESS CURTAIN CARRYING ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES E y Qw wswm May 29, 1923 Q Q J D J l/m mwo I aw M May 29, 1923.

1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 T Filed May 19 J H BOGGESS CURTAIN CARRYING ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES May 2%, 5mg. "msa'vi J. H. BOGGESS CURTAIN CARRYING ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES Filed May 1 9 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 29, 1 923?;

J H. BQGGESS CURTAIN CARRYING ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES Filed May 19. ,1919 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 Fatented l tlay 29, 15%.233

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JAMES H. BOGGESS, OF FUND DU LAC, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO LONGDIN-BRUGGER COMPANY, OF FONI) DU LAC, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION.

CURTAIN-CARRYING ATTACHMENT FOE VEHICLES.

Application filed. May 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jniirns H. Bocenss, a citizen of the United .States, residing at Fond du Lac, in the county- 01: Fonddu Lac. and State of Viisconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Curtain Carrying Attachments for Vehicles;,

and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention,

such as will enable otherslskilled in'the art ment of this character which may be quickly and easily built up under the automobiles canopy while the latter remains on the body of the automobile.

A further object is to provide an improved curtain frame which is especially applicable fo sliding engagement in a distorted guide which extends across the downwardly inclined front end oi the automobiles top.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the "following details of description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side view of a Ford-pattern automobile, the body, and wheels being diagrammatically indicated in elevation, and the top thereof being shown in section; my improved attachment being shown in side elevation. in its useful position within the ordinary Ford automobile top.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the top and attachment, the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the top end attachment, the section being taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a perspective View showing my 1919. Serial No. 298,172.

improved attachment separated from, the usual top oi the automobile, but showing the connections of this attachment with the body of the automobile, the body and connections being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, the section being taken along the line 5 5 .of Fig. 4:.

y 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional v view, the section being taken along the line 6-6 otl ig. 4.

Fig.v 7 is a perspective view illustrating the vdetails of construction of the curtain guides. 4 fig, 8 is a perspective view illustrating. the upper lefthand corner ofuthe curtain supporting frame as viewed from the rear.

Fig. 9 is a side view, oartly in section, of oneo'l my improved curtain-frames or carriers, the curtain being indicated in dotted lines, the inner quadranglein dotted lines representing a window in the curtain.

Referring to these drawings in detail in which similar reference characters correspond withsimilar parts throughout the severalviews, and in which the body and wheels of the automobile are shown merely to show at a glance the application of the invention,-

The invention consists in the details of. construction of the attachment, and the combination of this attachment with thebody and top of an automobile of well known construction. However, a brief description of this (urdinary autoi'nobile body and top will be given for the purpose of giving a full and w clear understanding of the relation of my inventionthereto. The body A is provided which the lamp bracket is supported. It will&

be understood, of course, that the automobile is provided with two of each of the elements B, C. and I.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 4' to 8 inclusive, it will be seen that the curtain supporting attachment comprises a front bow 10, a rear bow 11, a pair of intermediate bows 12 and 13, a top bar or strut ltand a pair of-side bars 15, the latter be ing preferably of wood or other relatively light and rigid material, while the elements 10 to 14 inclusive are preferably of iron or steel. The members or bars 14 and 15 are secured to each of the bows 10 to 13 and hold them in rigid relation to one another. Moreover, the bars 15 are each provided with clamping plates 16 and 17 which hold these bars and intermediate bows D and E, re-

spectively, in rigid relation.

The bows 10 and 13 constitute a front guide for the curtain frame which is illustrated separately in Fig. 9, each of these bows having a channel extending throughout its length, with the exception that the middle portion of the channel in the front bow is preferably cut away or omitted for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Referring now especially to Figs. 1, 5 and 8, it willbe seen that the front bow comprises a channel 18- which extends from the automobile body to the middle portion of a plate or' bridge element 19 to which the strut 14 has its, front end secured. The plate 19 is widened at its middle portion for the purpose of adding strength at this portion, but

more particularly to provide a seat or support for the channel 18 which has its bridge portion rearwardly and inwardly inclined fore, the bridge portion of this bow 13 is bent-at its middle portion so that the halves of the bridge are inclined rearwardly and inwardly, the inclination being substantially the same as that of the similar halves of the bridge portion 19 of the front how. The bow 13 is formed with achannel 24 which extends throughout its length, and this channel and the channel 18 form a guide or guides for the front curtain frames which will now be descr bed .111 detail, referring to Figs. 4, 5 and9. I

There are two of the curtain frames suc a as illustrated in Fig. 9, and each comprises a pair of spring metal strips 25 having one of their ends rigidly secured to: a metal strip intense or bar 26, the other ends and intermediate portions of the spaced strips 25 being connected by means of torsionally adjustable struts, each of these struts comprising a rod 27 and a socket 28, one end of each rod 27 being turnably seated in the contiguous socket 28. A curtain 29 is secured to the curtain-frame by any appropriate means and a window 30 is preferablyprovided in each curta1n'29. The curtain 29 and window 30 may be of any appropriate flexible material.

and the strips 25 arequite flexible, sothat the window frame and curtain may be flexed or bent so as to conform to the curvatures of thebows, it being understood that the flexible strips 25 are seated. longitudi nally in the grooves or channelsof thecurfront curtain frames is slid upward in the,

vertical. portions of the bows, andits upper end enters the curved portions, the front strip 25 is .bent or curved at a point at a lower level than that at which therear one of the strips 25 is bent, and therefore, if the bridge portions of these bows extended straight across the frame, the tendency would be to destroy the right angle-relation of the struts which comprise the elements 27 and 28,thereby distorting and probably tearing the-curtain. The supporting of the front curtain guides in the manner shown permits the struts of the curtain frame to remain substantially at right angles to the strips 25, and thus avoids injury to the cur tain carried thereby. Moreover, since the front strip begins to bend in advance-of the rear strip of the front curtain frames, a tor sion is effected in the struts of the front frames, and the turnable connection of the rods 27 with the sockets 28 permitsa torsional s'elf-adjustment of these struts.

The rear curtain-guiding bow 11 has a pair of upright plates or bars 31, which are supported by the rear pivotal connections B, the latter extending through apertures 32 in the bars I The bars 31 are provided with L-beams 33 .(see'Figs; a and'5) which are welded or otherwise secured to the plates31- so as to form upright channels 34; in, which the rear strips 25 of the rear curtain frames slide. The front strips 25 of the rear cur tain frames slide in grooves or channels which are formed by similar l.-beam s 33. These L-beams are united with the plates 35 which have windows 36 therein and which have second Lbeams 33 united with their From the foregoing, in connection with the drawings, it is evident that each of the bows 11, 12 and 13 is formed of separable parts, viz., upright parts and a substantially horirental or bridge element It will now be shown that the horizontal parts of the bows are attached to the plates 81 and 35 so that their channels are aimed respectively.

Referring es} ecially to i and 'T, will be seen that the how 13 comprises a bridge portion 18 which is formed ot a channel beam having its end portions slitted transversely through its web and one of its flanges to :torm attaching ears 37. These at taching ears 3'? are apertured to receive bolts 38 which extend through the adjacent bars 15 and clamping plates 17. The upright poi tions 33 ot the how 13, comprising sections of. L-beam as previously described, have one of their flanges narrowed by the removal ottportions at the upper ends thereof, as illu "ated at 39, and it is the remaining portions of this flange which are united w th the plates 135 Slots are thereby provided in the upper ends oi the uprights 83, and these slots receive the attaching ears 3'? or the ends of the bridge portion 18, so that en the latter is moved from the full line position shown in Fig. 4' to the dot- Ml pr 'zion therein, the channel of the bridge portion is alined with that of th upright portions of this bow. The description of this connection of the how 13 applies also to the bows l1 and 12.

l rom the foregoing description, it will be seen that the bolts 38 that extend through the ears 37 of the bows 12 and 13 extend through the adjacent ba s and the clamps 17 which are seated th reon he object of the clamps 1'? is to e m, i with the intermediate bow l l and it will be seen that the bolts cooperate with llrlQ, clamps l7 For clamping" this intermediate bow ot the ii in rigid relation to one an other. Likewise the clamps fie and bolts 33 which connect them i 'th the plates ill and bars 15 cooperate with the clampin plates 16 to clamp the rear bow D.

it will be seen that the bows ll. and 12 are substantially oi he same shape and extent, and that the rods 2? which. form elements of the curtain frames which slide in those bows are not provided with sockets 28, as no torsion occurs with these rods.

The middle portion oi the rear bow l) is saeured to the rear end of the strut 14E by means of a bolth) extending through an aperture 41.

The pivots ot' the autoinol'iiles wind-shiel d may be extended through and secured in aprtures in the front bow portions 20, as

hown in Figs. 3, l, 5 and 8.

The purpose of the bars 15 is not only to strengthen the frame and make it rigid, but also to prevent contact of the canopy with the curtain frames as while being raised and lowered.

The cut out portion of the front channel 18 permits the flexible front curtain-frames to overlap when desirable to raise these frames entirely out of communication with the openings below the bars 1 5. 7 The lower ends or the plates 21 are curved inward for pressing the curtain frames inward against the ZLdlZOHlOlDllGS body so as to F by said arched frame, said guideways ex-,

tending upwardly, along one side of said arched frame and then curving inwardly at different heights to vextend across the top portion of the latter, and a flexible curtain slidable in said guideways, said curtain comprising two spaced flexible strips which are slidable in said guideways, and transverse struts connecting said strips, the transverse strut at the upper edge or" the Frame of. said curtain being readily adjustable torsionally to prevent binding of the upper edge of said curtain as it passes around the curved portions of said guideways.

2. A frame for a flexible curtain comprising a pair of spaced springy strips, and a transverse-strut connecting said strips one of said struts consisting of a pair of memhers one of said members being rigidly secured to each of said strips, said members being arranged in longitudinal. alinement and having their adjacent enrs turnably engaged.

3. A curtain :Frame comprising two flexible springy strips, a rigid strut having its ends rigidly united with said flexible strips, and a torsionally adjustable strut having its ends secuii'r-d to said flexible strips, said strut comprising a socket and a rod having one end turnably mounted in said socket.

4. In a curtain carrying frame of the haracter described, a plate adapted for at tachment in upright position to the side of an automobile body, an L-beam secured along the edge of one of its sides to said plate to provide an upright channel between its other side and said plate, the upper extremity of the first mentioned side of said l -beam beinc; narrowed to provide a slot in open com munication with said channel, a longitudinally curved channel beam having the extremity of one of its flanges and its web bent .to extend in the opposite direction from its other flange to provide an attaching ear, said channe beam being dlsposed with its chaninrentive ideas as de fill.

' nel in alinement with the aforesaid channel tion with and withsaid ear engaging in said slot, and a securingelement extending through said ear and said plate and securing said channel beam to the latter.

5. The combination 'of a plurality of structures as specified in claim 4t, and a horizontal bar secured to the plates of such strum edges of one of their sides to the edge portions of said plate to provide oppositely facing channels between theirother sides and said plate,,the upper extremities of the first mentioned sides of said l..-beams being narrowed to provide slots in open communicasaid channels, longitudinally curved channel beams having the extremities of one of their flanges and the webs bent to extend in opposite directions from their other flanges to provide attaching ears, said channel beams being disposed with their channels in alinement with the aforesaid channels and with said ears engaging in said slot-s, a horizontal bar extending across the upper extremity of saidplate, a strap disposed on said bar for engagement with a bow of an automobile top, and securing elements extending throughfsaid ears, plate, bar and strap and securing these parts together.

for automobiles comprising an arched frame having atop portion for disposition beneath the top of the automobile and side portions for disposition at the sides of the automobile; .said frame including front, rear and intermediate bows having substantially horizontal portions vadapted to extend transversely across the top of the automobile and upright portions for disposition at the sides of the automobile, the horizontal portions of said bows being made as separate sections from the upright portions thereof and being (letachably secured at their extremities to the upper extremities of the latter, side bars for disposition along the side edges of the automobile top detachably secured to the upper extremities of the upright portions of said bows, a strut extending longitudinally of the top portion of said frame be- A. sliding curtain carrying attachment tween the side portions thereof, said strut being detachably secured to the horizontal portions of said hows, the rear extremity bows the automobile top, means carried by said side bars for engagement with upright portions of a bow of the automobile top, the'lower extremities of the upright portions of the bows of said frame being adapted for attachment to the sides of the automobile, guideways carried by thebows of said frame, andfiexible curtains slidable in said guideways. i

8. In a vehicle top, a relatively low bow having a curtain-guide extending there along, a relatively high bow having a curtain-guide extending therealong, a flexible curtain mounted for movement along the curtain guides of said low and high hows, the bridge of each bow being rearwardly in clined from the upri ht portions to the mid dle portion thereof, and a curtain-frame carrying said curtain, said curtain frame comprising two flexible strips, a rigid strut rigidly secured to said flexible strips, and two strut-forming members eachhaving one end secured to one of said flexible strips,

the other ends of these strut-forming members being connected together for relative rotary movement about their longitudinal axis. 1 V I p 9. The combination with a vehicle having a top which comprises front, rear andvintermediate bows, and pivo'ted supports for these bows, of a curtain-supporting structure secured to and supported by said pivotal f supports of the vehicle top, said structure comprising a plurality of curtain-guiding bows, a strut securing the tops of the curtam-guiding bows in fixed relation to one another and being secured to one of the bows of said vehicle top, the front end of said structure being secured to the i front bow, of the vehicle top, and a pa1r of bars at opposite sides of saidstructure, said bars be ing fitted between the upper portions of the vehicle bows and the corresponding portions of said curtain-supportlng structureand being secured to the latter and to the bows of said vehicle top. I v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I p

. JAMES H. BOGGESS. 

